Plans for an £85m electricity generating tidal lagoon near Swansea Docks were widely praised at a public planning hearing into the project at the city’s Brangwyn Hall.

Robert Lloyd Griffiths of the Institute of Directors (Wales) said the idea was “innovative and influential” while Tony McGetrick of Tourism Swansea Bay said most of the group’s 400 members were “overwhelmingly in favour” of the lagoon, a six mile U-shaped stone wall which promises to create electricity for 155,000 households using the power of the tides.

But Christian Silk, of law firm Eversheds, representing Swansea University and development firm St Modwen who are behind the £400m seaside Bay Campus project close to the proposed lagoon at Fabian Way, expressed serious concerns.

He said St Modwen and the university had “a number of issues” about the proposal by Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay PLC including disagreeing with the applicant’s mathematical modelling of the environmental impacts of the scheme particularly in relation to its effect on sediment transport.

He added: “There are also concerns the applicant is seeking sweeping powers of land acquisition.”

The offshore visitor, operations and maintenance building planned for Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon

Mr Silk said St Modwen and the university also wanted to see a substantial bond put in place by Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay for remedial work in the event of adverse effects if planning was granted.

Speakers at the Brangwyn Hall were making oral submissions to an examination panel appointed by the UK Government’s planning inspectorate and the panel will make a recommendation to the inspectorate after listening to and reading submissions over the project which could be the first of a number of tidal lagoon schemes in Wales and the rest of Britain and the wider world.

Alan Glass, representing a group supporting the lagoon from Gower said: “Harbour walls are quite common so the visual effect should be quite low.”

Robert Lloyd Griffiths of the Institute of Directors in Wales said the organisation supported the lagoon scheme “wholeheartedly”.

Jane Davidson and Professor Mchael Phillips of the University of Wales Trinity St David supported the project as did the Mumbles Development Trust.

The trust’s Malcolm Poole, speaking of plans to house a visitor centre in the lagoon said: “It’ll be a huge attraction and will have a positive impact on Mumbles.”